Who is Gretchen Whitmer? The Governor of Michigan who could be Kamala Harris’ VP
Following President Joe Biden’s stunning decision to end his re-election bid, Kamala Harris is on the hunt for a running mate. Could it be Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer?
Kamala Harris, upon receiving the endorsement of President Joe Biden and other high-level leaders of the Democratic Party, she has broken fundraising records and reenergized many voters.
Now, many are anticipating the announcement of her vice presidential pick, which is expected to come within the next few weeks as the campaign evaluates which official would best fit her governing and electoral needs.
One of the names being tossed around is that of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Gov. Whitmer has made clear that her intention is not to leave Michigan and has opted for a position co-leading Harris’ campaign. However, she has also said that she is not a part of the vetting process, which has led some to believe she is still under consideration.
Who is Gretchen Whitmer?
In the moments after President Joe Biden announced that he would step down as the Democratic Party’s nominee for the White House, Gretchen Whitmer released a statement of support and gratitude for Biden’s service in office while also declaring that she remains committed to getting Democratic representatives elected.
Whitmer entered public life in Michigan in 2001 when she was elected to the state’s House of Representatives. In 2006, she was elected to the Michigan Senate and served until 2015. From 2011, until her departure from the state legislature to become the Prosecuting Attorney of Ingham County, she served as the Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate. She would serve as a prosecutor for two years before launching her gubernatorial campaign. She won the race in 2018 by over 300,000 votes. She has been lauded for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, though much of those efforts were lost on then-President Donald Trump, who constantly criticized her, referring to her as “half Whitmer” and “that woman from Michigan” at the time.
The voters of Michigan disagreed with Donald Trump’s assessment, re-electing Governor Whitmer to a second term in office in 2022; this time she won by over 469,000 votes.
While she has said that her plan is to stay in Michigan until her term ends in 2026, she did release her memoir “True Grit,” shortly after Biden’s controversial debate with Trump. The release confirms for many political analysts that she plans to run for president in 2028.